<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div>Peterson<br><br>And I think these people mistake me with someone in the diaspora. I live and work in Kenya and purely live on my own business which has passed alot and been featured as one of the most innovative businesses around.<br><br>So Alex, guess which one it is and tell me about yours<br><br>JM<br></div><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">----- Original Message ----<br>From: "mwananchi@hushmail.com" <mwananchi@hushmail.com><br>To: j.maina@ymail.com<br>Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke><br>Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:10:41 PM<br>Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kenya opens door to foreign telecoms investors - From
Ugandan<br><br>
Gichuru, <br><br>Prior to asking your question you doubted whether Kenyans engaged <br>in holding a public servant to transparently account, actually <br>worked, actually resided in Kenya, actually contributed to economic <br>growth and were only complainants incapable of creating effective <br>change. In doing so, I believe you answered your own question <br>before you had a chance to ask it. One can only conclude that your <br>call for stories is not sincere.<br><br>Promoting veiled stereotypes, while suggesting that Kenyans who <br>live in Kenya cannot stand up for their rights, will not detract <br>non-elitist Kenyans from ensuring that public servants accountably <br>engage in service delivery to the Kenyan people. The suggestion <br>that people are layabouts who wake up one day and raise an issue <br>that does not affect them in anyway should be consigned to the <br>proper dustbin. Thank you.<br><br>Peterson <br><br>On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:17:05
+0000 <a ymailto="mailto:gichuru@gmail.com" href="mailto:gichuru@gmail.com">gichuru@gmail.com</a> wrote:<br>>I keep asking myself , how much change can you effect by <br>>complaining<br>>and criticizing the ones who are actually working? How many of you<br>>criticizing the PS and other government initiative are in Kenya<br>>contributing to the economic growth? How many have tried running a<br>>business in this country in the last 10 years and can testify to<br>>growth?<br>><br>>I am not saying more cant be done, but appreciate what has been<br>>done..... But if you really have something to say a burning desire <br>>to<br>>share, dont talk about the KLM story, KQ Story, we already know <br>>about<br>>them, lets hear about your story.. what are you doing or have you<br>>done? Lets judge for ourselves if you can deliver given a <br>>chance....<br>><br>><br>><br>>On 10/14/08, John Maina <<a
ymailto="mailto:j.maina@ymail.com" href="mailto:j.maina@ymail.com">j.maina@ymail.com</a>> wrote:<br>>> Kenyans and other Africans,<br>>><br>>> Yes, I agree. We have the money. But we need to organize to stop<br>>> the hemorrhage of our resources. This is our moment to make our <br>>voices<br>>> heard about our countries' economic sovereignty. What many of <br>>our<br>>> leaders are doing giving away our tangible and intangible assets<br>>> is treasonous and inexcusable.<br>>><br>>> In Uganda, my country, the president, his family and their <br>>lackeys<br>>> have turned themselves into a veritable mafia of commission <br>>agents<br>>> carrying water for all sorts of foreign interests. They proclaim <br>>from<br>>> the rooftops how indigenous Ugandans are too poor and dumb to <br>>own and<br>>> manage businesses. Yet, there is plenty of evidence to the
<br>>contrary.<br>>> Some of that evidence points to how foreigners, including South <br>>Asians<br>>> who arrive in the country with only the shirts on their backs, <br>>are<br>>> provided with multi-million dollar loans/grants to finance pet<br>>> enterprises. Ugandans can only dream of such largesse. <br>>Understandably,<br>>> many of those foreign "investors" take the money -- pausing only <br>>long<br>>> enough to wreck the business -- and run. A good example is <br>>Tristar, a<br>>> textile firm that government set up as a showcase of a <br>>successful<br>>> Africa Growth Opportunity Act inspired business, was handd on a <br>>silver<br>>> platter to a pair of Sri Lankan briefcase businessmen with a <br>>$2.5<br>>> million loan from the state-owned Uganda Development bank. Their <br>>only<br>>> qualification was that they were "Indian", a nationality
that <br>>Museveni<br>>> equates with a natural entrepreneurship.<br>>><br>>> In addition to the free business and loan, the conmen were<br>>> vigorously and publicly supported by the President's office in<br>>> exploiting an all-female workforce (including sexually), <br>>recruited<br>>> deliberately from rural Uganda and kept in apartheid-era like <br>>hostels,<br>>> ostensibly because they would be too docile to rebel against <br>>their poor<br>>> working conditions. A parliamentary investigation was sparked <br>>when the<br>>> "Agoa girls," as the workers were patronizingly called, <br>>organized and<br>>> downed their tools. That's when the sordid details of the sorry <br>>venture<br>>> emerged.<br>>><br>>> The adage that "if you want to look for traitors, start at the<br>>> top" is all too true for our countries. With leaders such as
<br>>these (and<br>>> silent lambs as us), is it any wonder that nearly every race <br>>holds us<br>>> in contempt and reaps fortunes out of our losses!<br>>><br>>> Vukoni<br>>><br>>><br>>> -------- Original Message --------<br>>> Subject: [DigAfrica] Re: [africa-oped] Fwd: Re: [picta-kenya] <br>>Re: Kenya<br>>> opens door to foreign telecoms investors<br>>><br>>> - Show quoted text -<br>>> From: "Robert Alai" <<a ymailto="mailto:alai.robert@gmail.com" href="mailto:alai.robert@gmail.com">alai.robert@gmail.com</a>><br>>> Date: Mon, October 13, 2008 10:34 am<br>>> To: <a ymailto="mailto:digafrica@yahoogroups.com" href="mailto:digafrica@yahoogroups.com">digafrica@yahoogroups.com</a>, <a ymailto="mailto:picta-kenya@yahoogroups.com" href="mailto:picta-kenya@yahoogroups.com">picta-kenya@yahoogroups.com</a><br>>><br>>><br>>> - Show quoted text
-<br>>><br>>> Matunda<br>>><br>>> Kenyans have the money.<br>>><br>>> France<br>>> Telekoms came to Kenya and bought Telkom Kenya but is being <br>>supported<br>>> by the Kenyan government. It doesnt have money upto now.<br>>><br>>> Kencall<br>>> and all these foreigners claiming that Kenyans have no money <br>>came and<br>>> borrowed in Kenyan banks. Tell me which foreigners brought their <br>>own<br>>> money. Including Safaricom which went to the NSE and put up a <br>>bond.<br>>><br>>> Lets<br>>> not be cheated. Matunda, me and you and all people in Dig Afrika <br>>and<br>>> PICTA wont have the opportunity to set up our ICT companies if <br>>Dr Ndemo<br>>> is allowed to go ahead. We must insist on local partnership and <br>>its not<br>>> something we should be begging for. We must insist on it<br>>><br>>>
Regards<br>>> Alai<br>>><br>>> - Show quoted text -<br>>> On Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 5:34 PM, nmatunda <<a ymailto="mailto:matunda@hotmail.com" href="mailto:matunda@hotmail.com">matunda@hotmail.com</a>> <br>>wrote:<br>>><br>>> - Show quoted text -<br>>><br>>> --- In <a ymailto="mailto:picta-kenya@yahoogroups.com" href="mailto:picta-kenya@yahoogroups.com">picta-kenya@yahoogroups.com</a>, "Mike Theuri" <br>><<a target="_blank" href="http://mi.ke.th">mi.ke</a>.the.u.r.i@...><br>>> wrote:<br>>><br>>><br>>> Matunda,<br>>><br>>> I concur with your views and completely agree with the way the<br>>> Canadian banking industry has weathered the financial storm. <br>>During a<br>>> brief visit to Canada I noted that there were 5 major Canadian <br>>banks<br>>> and one major international institution (Europe's largest
<br>>institution<br>>> by way of assets) operating in Canada. According to the WEF: <br>>"Canada<br>>> has the world's soundest banking system, according to a more <br>>recent<br>>> report released by the World Economic Forum. Canada's banks <br>>received a<br>>> score of 6.8 out of possible seven, ahead of the banks of five <br>>other<br>>> countries which received a score of 6.7 per cent." We are now <br>>seeing<br>>> the US rushing to regulate the banking sector and even going as <br>>far as<br>>> taking ownership stakes in both US and foreign banks because <br>>Americans<br>>> interest and not that of foreigners is at stake. There are <br>>lessons to<br>>> be learned from this about the consequences of unplanned <br>>deregulation<br>>> ie ownership, operational etc in sectors key to the economy.<br>>><br>>> That said we must closely focus on the
issue of Kenya and the <br>>PS'<br>>> plan to invite foreigners with no conditions on local ownership. <br>>My<br>>> original posting on this issue covered a number of varied <br>>issues,<br>>> it appears the discussion has taken on a life of its own after <br>>it was<br>>> shared on other forums and has morphed into a protracted battle <br>>between<br>>> pro-PS types engaged in a concerted effort to silence the issue <br>>and<br>>> individuals who despite their rather harsh and tough ways of <br>>getting<br>>> the point across raise valid points that are apparently <br>>unpalatable for<br>>> some.<br>>><br>>> On Saturday, I received a message from an individual whom I <br>>shall<br>>> not name who has gotten rather cosy with the PS of late <br>>suggesting that<br>>> certain parties were out to reignite conflict in the nation <br>>through
the<br>>> revelation of the PS' plan and the resulting debates on lists <br>>and that<br>>> I should play a participatory role in "helping them" squelch the<br>>> "dissent". I responded saying that the individual was digging in <br>>the<br>>> wrong place as there were no hidden dimensions to the issue <br>>other than<br>>> the policies mentioned and that Kenyans should be free to hold<br>>> individuals in public office to account without interference or<br>>> intimidation. It was disappointing to read such a message hinged<br>>> with hints to unsavoury moments in our recent history coming <br>>from an<br>>> individual who once strongly stood for freedom of expression and <br>>the<br>>> right to information. If other individuals have seen it fit to <br>>raise<br>>> the issues outside of Picta it is indeed within their rights as <br>>Kenyans.<br>>><br>>>
Unfortunately the answer to Matunda's question is that there is<br>>> nobody standing up for Kenyans interests on this issue, we only <br>>read in<br>>> the media about plans to gazette following alleged consultations <br>>with<br>>> foreign stakeholders. There is hardly ever any justification <br>>made and<br>>> when it is sought, the PS has repeatedly used isolated but not<br>>> precedent setting incidents such as the one I mentioned. We all <br>>recall<br>>> the Ksh 100m tax payer funded trip the Finance Minister and the <br>>PS<br>>> amongst other made to the western hemisphere to court Diaspora<br>>> investors in 2007, only to display high handedness and refusal <br>>to<br>>> answer legitimate questions seeking assurances about the ability <br>>of the<br>>> Diaspora to invest in our own country.<br>>><br>>> As a writer observed:<br>>> <a
href="http://www.kenyaimagine.com/Economy/Kenya-Finance-Minister-" target="_blank">http://www.kenyaimagine.com/Economy/Kenya-Finance-Minister-</a><br>>courts-investors-abroad.html<br>>> "Next was the matter of investment, especially that of Kenyans<br>>> abroad. However much investment opportunities are paraded, <br>>investors,<br>>> whether Kenyan or foreign, always have the same questions about <br>>the<br>>> local environment with regard to; bureaucratic bottlenecks, <br>>regulatory<br>>> climate, corruption, and insecurity"<br>>><br>>> When such questions were brought up the delegation brushed them<br>>> aside and refused to answer them. Today, we read about Ndemo <br>>appearing<br>>> to disregard the interests of Kenyans through his proposed <br>>policies and<br>>> calling for increased foreign participation in the Kenyan <br>>economy. This<br>>> is simply wrong,
why is Ndemo rushing to make conditions better <br>>for<br>>> foreigners but not exhibiting the same level of effort for <br>>Kenyans to<br>>> have a larger stake in the economy?<br>>><br>>> Ndemo should instead be taking on the issues his delegation<br>>> brushed aside when questioned by would be Kenyan investors. The <br>>PS<br>>> should put his country (Kenya) and its citizens first and that <br>>means<br>>> working for the common interests of Kenyans. Any Kenyan who asks <br>>the PS<br>>> or the Government to justify and explain its position on<br>>> such contentious proposals should be given the opportunity to <br>>express<br>>> their views, not condemned and counter attacked as seems to be <br>>the case<br>>> now on a discussion list serving industry interests. Kenyans <br>>should not<br>>> stand by idly as non-progressive proposals are quietly drafted
<br>>and made<br>>> binding to Kenyans without the process being open to critique <br>>and<br>>> public input.<br>>><br>>> Mike<br>>> On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 7:14 AM, nmatunda<br>>> <br>><<a href="http://../../../../post?postID=Nwl_acszxFkN4z3b2uNtU8XlfkXWMi8l7Fo" target="_blank">http://../../../../post?postID=Nwl_acszxFkN4z3b2uNtU8XlfkXWMi8l7Fo</a><br>>VzSnzRChXPvqnkZb6vcvKEzgqRf67GjelW9IqJOAw><br>>> wrote:<br>>><br>>> Mike,<br>>><br>>> I am with you 200% on this.<br>>><br>>> Every country must always act in its self-interest; this move by<br>>> the PS is deplorable and not in line with long term Kenyan <br>>interests,<br>>> especially in as a lucrative area as ICT.<br>>><br>>> In my books, we invite foreigners for such things as (a) <br>>financing<br>>> (which by the way Kenyans have shown can be raised locally),
(b)<br>>> operations and management experience & knowledge transfer, (c)<br>>> relationships that we can leverage through any such joint <br>>ventures,<br>>> etc. Joint ventures can also cushion enterprises from predatory<br>>> illegalities, especially given our weak legal dispute resolution<br>>> structures! Of the latter, remember when heads of state <br>>corporations<br>>> used to queue up with money bags to state house to prop up the <br>>Moi<br>>> excesses! Or when companies could be shaken down for political<br>>> donations at a whim!<br>>><br>>> For me, a good (not ideal!) joint venture is one of the kind <br>>that<br>>> Kenya Airways went into with KLM, when KA had been run down by<br>>> politically connected individuals. KLM brought in management and<br>>> operations experience, facilitated KA's access to markets and <br>>routes<br>>> that KA
otherwise couldn't easily access and in the process the <br>>KA<br>>> brand rose, as did profits and more! The investment has paid <br>>well for<br>>> Kenyans and KLM; a win-win.<br>>><br>>> There is a lesson to be learnt from the current American <br>>financial<br>>> crisis with respect to experiences in Canada. This country has <br>>been<br>>> under pressure to deregulate its financial services sector for <br>>the<br>>> longest time. Banks have argued that they needed mergers to <br>>allow them<br>>> to compete globally; and that they needed global partners that <br>>would<br>>> help them grow and extend their reach.<br>>><br>>> Canadian government have constantly refused mergers or the kind <br>>of<br>>> deregulation the industry sought! Their argument: the interest <br>>of the<br>>> common person whose priority banks should
be.<br>>><br>>> Guess what? In the present crisis, Canada has come substantially<br>>> well ahead of the US and others. And for what reason: they stood<br>>> against unfettered deregulaion! and they stood up for the <br>>interest of<br>>> Canadians.<br>>><br>>> I ask all yee this question: who is standing for the interest of <br>>Kenyans in<br>>> this open invitation to exploitation?<br>>><br>>> Dr Ndemo needs to be stopped, I am afraid!<br>>><br>>> Unedited.<br>>><br>>> Matunda Nyanchama<br>>><br>>><br>>><br>><br>><br>>-- <br>><br>>Warm Regards<br>>--------------------------------------<br>>Sam Gichuru<br>>CVO<br>><br>>Register .COM, .<a target="_blank" href="http://co.ke">co.ke</a>, .NET, .ORG, .INFO and .BIZ domain names for<br>>FREE. unlimited email addresses. Business Webhosting and Internet<br>>Marketing
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